Complete SAT Grammar

How can you separate two complete sentences?

1. A period- Go to them. They need you.

2. A semicolon- Go to them; they need you.

3. ", and" ", but" ", as" - They were winning, but we took the lead.

4- A colon : (only use if 1st sentence causes 2nd or if 2nd one is an example)

What do you do when all 4 answers are grammatically correct (as in, they don't violate any rules of grammar)

You pick the shortest one!

Match the TONE

What does the colon : do?

(The hyphen - does the same things)

1. It introduces a list.

ex. We need three things: crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows.

2. Identifies a word/phrase

ex. Yesterday I survived on one food: almonds.

3. Separate 2 complete sentences

Can you use the phrase":such as" "such as:" or "such as,"?

NO

"such as" and the colon (:) do the same thing!

use Comma Before ",such as" or just "such as"

There should never be punctuation immediately following "such as"

Must use "there are many benefits, such as strength and power"

What does the semicolon ; do?

Separates two complete sentences

What is the rule and 1 exception for making nouns possessive?

Rule: Add 's

Exception: Add only ' if you have already added an "s" to make the word plural

Make 'dog' possessive (singular)

dog's

Make 'class' possessive (singular)

class's

Make this word possessive:

bikes

bikes'

Make 'oxen' possessive (plural)

oxen's

What is the point of a transition word?

To connect the meaning of 1 sentence to the next one.

Transition words fall into 3 main groups. What are they?

SAME

OPPOSITE

CAUSED

How to use "whereas"

OPPOSITE

We're studying for the SAT, whereas my brother is sleeping right now.

In a list, do you need a comma before the "and"?

Yes

Biology, chemistry, anatomy, and other sciences

Does "however" come at the beginning of the sentence or the middle?

However must come at the BEGINNING

Must have a period or ; before the ". However,"

When you have 2 complete sentences, what is the punctuation to use to separate them with "however"?

We were planning to go camping. However, it is too cold.

We were planning to go camping; however, it is too cold.

Can you use ", however" to separate 2 complete sentences?

HELL NO

Best 2 ways to combine 2 sentences

", as"

The times saw an artistic revolution, as the Impressionist movement flourished across Europe.

also a verb that ends in "-ing"

How to use "Moreover,"

SAME

When talking about 2 things that are similar.

How to use "Even so,"

And where does it go in the sentence?

CONTRAST

When you hold an opinion anyways, EVEN THOUGH there are reasons against it.

"Even so" must come at BEGINNING of sentence

How to use "As a result,"

And where does it go in the sentence?

CAUSATION

and it goes at the BEGINNING of the sentence

When 1st thing causes the 2nd thing.

The power plant exploded. As a result, there was no power.

How to deal with a problem that asks about pronouns?

Find what the pronoun refers to

Plug that word in place of the pronoun!

How to deal with a problem that asks about transition words?

Read the previous sentence.

Find relationship (Causation, Contrast, Agreement)

Appositives

What punctuation do you need?

Eli Manning, Giants QB, is playing tonight.

Eli Manning- Giants QB- is playing tonight

Eli Manning (Giants QB) is playing

Parallel Form

Ex. How to improve "Italians, Germans, and people from America"

Italians, Germans, and Americans (Right)

Active voice

Luke hit the tree.

( Subject is doing the action)

Active voice vs passive voice

Which one is better?

Active is better

Passive voice

The tree was hit by Luke.

(Subject does not do the action)

Assume the info in graphs is

True!

It's vs. its

It's hot out. It is hot out.

The dog wagged its tail.

Where do we use commas when using quotation marks?

RIGHT BEFORE the 1st quote mark or RIGHT BEFORE the 2nd quote mark

She said, "Get away!"

"Go away," she said.

Driving down the highway, ____________

A) I saw the trees

B). the trees appeared

What is the answer and why?

I saw the trees

Subject must be human

Hanging on the coat rack, __________

Subject must be a human or a thing?

A thing

What is the hint with a question where the only difference is punctuation, like ( . ; : )

A- Find out if you have 1 complete sentence or 2.

B- Find out if it's an appositive

"The writer is considering adding/deleting a portion here"

How do you handle these questions ?

1- skip the yes/no part

2- Decide based only on the REASON

What are the 5 grammar tactics?

1- Fewer words are better

2- Find the part of speech

3-Read the sentence with the answers in it

4-Find what's different about answers A-D

5-Find the subject and the verb

Particularly when looking at old paintings, __________

Subject must be a human being or a thing?

Human or animal

(NOT other paintings or art)

She is a [domineering, or strict, boss.]

A) No Change

B) domineering, or strict boss

C) domineering or strict boss

D) domineering- or strict boss

A is correct

She is a domineering, or strict, boss.

What is the meaning of "Still,"

(same, opposite, cause, example, etc.)

Like "even so," (CONTRAST)

The FDA is everywhere in American culture. Still, while people know some parts of the FDA, they are clueless about others.

What is the meaning of "stunningly" (same, opposite, cause, example, etc.)

CONTRAST

How to use "therefore"

CAUSATION

1st item causes 2nd item

It was raining. Therefore, we went to the movies.

For many people, "fashion" -the latest lines of shoes, suits, dresses, or [furniture;] refers to new things.

A) furniture; (No Change)

B) furniture

C) furniture,

D) furniture-

D) furniture-

For many people, "fashion" -the latest lines of shoes, suits, dresses, or furniture- refers to new things.

Why?

Because that is one big appositive

What to look for when you see "Which choice most effectively sets up the examples that follow?"

or "which one is most relevant?"

1) IDENTIFY the examples in the next couple sentences

2) Decide what they are examples of

3) Choose the one most SPECIFIC to the examples that follow.

Nevertheless

CONTRAST

When 2 things are against each other

Ex. There is a foot of snow on the ground. Nevertheless, we have school tomorrow.

What is the meaning of "Just as.... so too"?

SIMILARITY

Just as A, so too does B.

Meaning: B does a similar thing as A.

What do all these terms mean?

"While, Still, Even though, True, Nevertheless"

CONTRAST

"WHILE the infrastructure plan will cost $2B, it will cut traffic."

"TRUE, the plan will cost $2B, but it will cut traffic"

"EVEN THOUGH the Jets had a terrible record, they have a chance to pick up good people in the offseason"

"Hackenberg hasn't started all year. STILL, he is the best option."

"I don't like doing my English homework. NEVERTHELESS, I have to do it to get an A."

The pronoun "who" refers to people or things?

People

E.g.

"Those who run"

"People who swim"

The pronoun "that" refers to people or things

Things, nouns that aren't people

"All trains that pass through this station"

"Those cars that don't pass inspection"

Verbs (and verb phrases) can act as what parts of speech

Nouns

Adjectives

Adverbs

Gerund

Verb acting as a noun

e.g. Swimming is not the best sport.

Running is exhausting.

Participle

Verb acting as an adjective or adverb

e.g. This style, rooted in the music of the 60s, is very cool.

Dependent Clause

Part of a sentence that cannot stand on its own.

Doesn't have a subject and verb OR it has a transition word.

e.g.

While we were in the desert,

Going through your locker,

Backdropped by white, green, and black curtains,

What to do when more than 1 answer choice is grammatically correct?

Pick the shortest one

OR

the one with the correct tone (formal vs informal)

I and me.

Which one is used as a subject, and which is used as an object?

I is the subject

(e.g. I am going to the store)

Me is the object

(Throw me the ball)

(Don't throw me over the cliff)

He and Him

Which one is used as a subject, and which is used as an object?

He is the subject.

(e.g. He is trying out for the baseball team)

Him is the object

(e.g. They are giving him a chance at Left Field)

Her and She

Which one is used as a subject, and which is used as an object?

She is the subject

(e.g. She is one of the best gymnasts in the county)

Her is the object

(e.g. She is going to show off her balance beam routine

Who and whom

Which one is used as a subject, and which is used as an object?

Who is the subject

(e.g. Who is playing the Spring Fling concert this year?)

Whom is the object

(e.g. Whom should I write this letter to?)

They and their refer ONLY to singular or plural things?

Plural things! More than 1!

Singular is incorrect!

Further vs Farther

Further means depth into a topic

Farther means physical DISTANCE

Some questions have answers where the only difference is commas.

What do you do?

ex.

This is how carbon can be sequestered, [or removed from] the atmosphere

A) or removed from

B) or removed from,

C) or, removed from,

D) or removed, from

Read the sentence to yourself WITHOUT looking at their punctuation.

EXAGGERATE your pauses

Read normally and see where you paused.

Put a comma where you paused.

D.

How can a clause have a subject and verb, but still not be a complete sentence?

It can have a TRANSITION WORD at the beginning.

Ex.

I was in the kitchen. (Sentence)

While I was in the kitchen, (Not a Sentence)

also "Which" "When" "While"

What are the 3 types of Objects?

1- Direct Object

2- Indirect Object

3- Object of the preposition

Direct Object

Answers the question "Who?" or "What?"

Indirect Object

Answers the question "To Whom?" or "For Whom?"

Object of the preposition

"to the store"

"above the floor"

"Below the attic"

"around the corner, up the street, down the road"

Object of the infinitive

Subject

Verb

Adjective

Adverb

Word that describes an adjective, a verb, or another adverb.

(Usually end in -ly)

ex. Slowly

Preposition

Small connecting word that shows relationship

above

below

in

of

outside of

inside of

to

from

--

--

What can you tell when an answer choice includes the word "being" ?

It is most likely WRONG

When you have "not only," what else should you use?

"But also"

"Not only ___, but also _____"

"Not only is he tall, but he is also strong."

what is the function of the dash or -

to introduce something like a colon does

two hyphens can separate an appositive

effect

noun

an outcome or result

affect

verb

to change

less

I have less money

We have less sand

THINGS YOU CANNOT COUNT

eg you cant say "1 money, 2 money, 3 sand, 4 sand"

fewer

I have fewer dollars

I have fewer grains of sand

THINGS YOU CAN COUNT

"1 dollar, 2 dollars, 3 grains of sand...etc"

whats better 2 short sentences or 1 longer sentence

1 longer sentence

What does this mean:

"Jeff Sessions went so far as to say he liked the KKK"

Taking an extreme position when you normally dont

How do you deal with problems that ask :

"To make this paragraph most logical, this sentence should be placed where?"

Look for the PRONOUNS and what they refer to.

The sentence should come after what its pronouns refer to

Also, if the sentence introduces a concept that another sentence refers BACK to, it must come BEFORE that other sentence.

Can you use "such as,"

NO

Can the subject or verb exist in the appositive?

NO

Where can you usually find the thesis, or the central point of a passage?

Last sentence of the first paragraph

Can you change any part of the sentence that is not underlined?

No

marginal

on the side, not as important

the sidekick

What do you know when you see the word "being"?

That answer is probably wrong

Can you use "with:" ?

Nope

Can you use "with-" ?

Nope

What do you do when the answers have different VERB FORMS

Find the NOUN that does the verb!

Say the possible answers in your head with the subject. Only the subject. Skip all other words.

What is the SAT's trap on questions where the answers have different VERB FORMS?

The noun that performs the verb will be separated from the verb by a bunch of meaningless words.

The last word before the verb will be a different NUMBER than the real noun.

That is a trick, watch out.

What are the collegeboard's two traps in questions where all answers are grammatically correct?

1- Some answers will have way too many words

2- Some answers will have a FORMAL TONE, and some have an INFORMAL TONE

The right answer has the same tone as the passage.

Burland [advocated using] soil extraction.

A) advocated using

B) advocated to use

C) advocated the using of

D) advocating to use

A!

Burland advocated using soil extraction.

In an essay with FORMAL TONE, can you use figures of speech?

No

You must use what is literally happening, not a figure of speech.

Figures of speech: (Revving up, amping up, get in line, move along, keep the tempo, hit him up)

If I say "Such a change would be insane," What can you infer?

That my PREVIOUS SENTENCE talked about the change

"to frame the points the paragraph will examine"

to set up, or lead into, or introduce, the points of the paragraph

that vs those, which one is plural, which is singular?

That= singular

Those= plural

"to these ends"

to accomplish these goals,

Can you say "much fewer than"?

Nope, must say "far fewer than"